Better than Life

A best seller in France last year, this is a collection of short essays and reflections on reading and the reader by a former teacher. Pennac indulges in a sometimes philosophical, yet simple and practical reasoning that addresses many of our attitudes toward reading. He attempts to demystify the traditional, mostly school-rooted conception of knowing how to read. He goes so far as offering a "Reader's Bill of Rights," which guarantees, among other things, the right to reread, skip pages, not to have to defend your taste, and even not to read at all. Reading behavior in general, and youth and reading in particular, are prominent in his analysis. He points out that when it comes to reading, modern youth are often considered lazy and spoiled by the easier access to other media; by contrast, reading would seem to be a Sisyphean task. Pennac thus calls for a change in attitude toward reading. His style is witty and masterly, and the result will provide entertaining and engrossing reading. Highly recommended for most libraries.
Ali Houissa, Cornell Univ., Ithaca, N.Y.
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.